Can-cleaning machine.



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G. W. GRAHAM. CAN CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION rum: mm. 19. 1907.

IN l E TOR a SHEETS-SHEET z.

Patented Sept-13, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. GRAHAM, OF ROME, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOAMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-CLEANING MACHINE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. GRAHAM, residing at Rome, in the countyof Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Can- Cleaning Machines, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to can machinery and the like.

One of the objects thereof is to provide can cleaning apparatus ofefficient and practical construction. and capable of a high speed ofworking.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above type which shall bereadily adjustable to accommodate cans of dilferent sizes and shapes.

Another object is to provide a machine of the type first mentioned inwhich the seams are uniformly cleaned at all points.

Another object is to provide a machine of the type first mentioned inwhich cramping or binding of the can, as that due to expansion of theparts of the machine, is obviated. Other objects will be in part obviousand in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction here? inafter set forth, and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of various possibleembodiments of my invention,Figure l is an end view thereof, certainparts being omitted in order to show the structure more clearly.

Fig. 2 is a plan, also having parts omitted. Fig. 3 is a side elevation.Fig. 4 is a detail sectional plan of adjusting mechanism, takensubstantially on the line m-w of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an end view of partsshown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail plan showing the tensioning means.Fig. 7'is a cross-section taken along the line g y of Fig. 6, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows. F ig. 8 is a detailview of acleaning device.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 13, 1910, Applicationfiled February 19, 1907.

Serial No. 358,320.

In order to render more readily understood certain features and aims ofthis invention, it may here be noted that in connection with canmachinery in which solder is to be applied or treated, it is oftenincident to the use of the machine that the parts are exposed to varyingdegrees of temperature with a corresponding tendency to expansion. Thisexpansion gives rise to a tendency to bind or cramp the cans if they beaccurately guided in their travel through the machine. It may also benoted that in connection with can cleaning machinery, if the same is tobe of thorough and efiicient action, all parts of the seam should beuniformly acted upon by the cleansing means, as there is otherwise awaste of solder as well as an unfinished appearance in the can which hasbeen acted upon. The above and other defects are done away with and manypositive advantages attained in constructions of the nature of thathereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, there is shown aframe 1 mounted upon uprights 2, the height of which may be adjusted asby the screws 3 and hand wheels 4 coacting with the bases 5. Adjustablymounted upon this frame, as by the threaded rods 6, are a pair oflongitudinally disposed supporting rails 7 preferably provided withconvex upper surfaces upon which rest the cans 8. The upper ends of cans8 are engaged by the swinging guides 9 hinged, as at 10, to the plates11 bolted upon the machine frame and adapted to act by their weight tohold the cans in the desired path and thus exert a flexible pressurethereon in which the chance of binding in a vertical plane is done awaywith.

Referring now to the means whereby the cans are propelled along therails 7, the detailed description will be confined to one side of themachine only, inasmuch as both sides are substantially identical in thisrespect.

J ournaled within. bearing 12 bolted upon the upper plate 11 is avertical shaft 13 provided with a driving pulley 14: and having a secondpulley 15 fast upon the lower end thereof. Pulley 15 is connected, as bybelt 16, with a similar pulley 17 mounted upon shaft 18 at the oppositeend of the machine. These pulleys are so disposed and formed as toprovide a belt surface substantially parallel to the support 7 andadapted to exert a resilient pressure upon the adjacent side of the cans8. The opposite side of the cans is engaged by belts 19 and 20respectively connecting in pairs the pulleys 21 and 22 mounted uponshafts 23 and 24k at opposite ends of the machine and driven from anydesired source of power. Shaft 23 is ournaled Within the bearing 25mounted upon a slide 26 which is guided within a casting 27 and normallyurged outwardly in a direction to tauten the belt, as by the adjustablespring 28. The entire casting 27 moreover, is mounted upon a bed 29centrally disposed within the frame of the machine, as by means of thebolts 30 and slots 31, in such manner as to permit an adjust- -ment ofthe belts 19 and 20 toward or away from the belt 16. Belts 19 and 20 andbelt 16. are so driven as to cause a movement of their active surfaces,by which is meant the can-engaging portions thereof, in oppositedirections and at different rates of speed. In this manner the cansembraced by these belts are given a positive rotarymovement and are yetrolled from one end of the machine to the other in the direction of thebelt traveling at the greater rate of speed.

Journaled within frame 1 is a shaft 82 provided with a pair of swingingarms or links 33 within which is mounted a rotary cleaner 34 which maybe provided with a surface of any desired character such as is adaptedto wipe away the surplus solder from the lower end of the can seam. Thiscleaner is driven, as by belt 35, from the pulley 36 upon the shaft 32,and is adjusted toward and away from the can, as by the threaded link 37resting within the frame of the machine.

Upon the lower side of the machine frame is a shaft 38 driven as by belt39 from shaft 32 and provided "with swinging arms 40 within which isjournaled a cleaner 41 driven by belt 12 and coacting with the sidesurface of the end seam of the can. This cleaner is likewise adjustabletoward and away from the can, as by the threaded link 4:3, and it may benoted that these cleaners extend substantially from end to end of themachine and simultaneously act upon both portions of the surfacethereof, being thus active for a considerable length of time and duringseveral rotations of the can body, whereby all parts of the seam thereofare thoroughly and uniformly cleaned.

The shaft 18 is preferably mounted within a ournal 44 slidably mountedbetween guides 45 formed upon the upper plate 11 and boxed in as by thecover or plate 46. Between the portions 47 of the bifurcated end of the,journal member is positioned a spring 48 abutting atone end against thejournal and at the other end against an adjusting screw 49 adapted tovary the tension thereon. It will thus be seen that the journal as isnormally spring-pressed in a direction away from the opposite pulley,and hence the belt is given the desired degree of tension.

In order to insure a firm engagement between the belt 16 and theadjacent can bodies, there are provided a number of presser shoes 50,the conformation and mounting of which are substantially identical. Eachshoe 50 is preferably curved or beveled at its ends, as at 51, in orderto avoid abrading the inner surface of the belt, and is fast upon a rod52 slidably mounted in a guide 53 depending from the lower surface ofthe plate 11, as best indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Mountedwithin the outer plate of the ma chine is a threaded rod 54 rigidlyconnected as by the U-shaped member 55 with the rod 52. Each shoe 50 isthus pressed toward the inner surface of the belt as by a coiled spring56 interposed between the member 55 and the outer wall of the machineframe, as shown at 57. The tension of this spring, moreover, iscontrolled by a nut 58 provided with a hand grip 59 as shown.

It may here be noted that although certain advantageous features of myinvention obtain irrespective of the type of cleaning member employed,nevertheless that set forth in Fig. 8 of the drawings has been found topresent many advantages. In this construction the cleaning shaft 60 isprovided with a sleeve 61 secured thereon as by a pin 62. Upon thissleeve are mounted rag wheels 63, held in proper conformation andproperly spaced relation one to another by the washers 64:. The end ragwheel at one end of the cleaner takes against a collar 65 rigidlysecured to the sleeve 61, and the wheel at the opposite end of thecleaner is engaged by a washer 66 held in place by a nut 67 threadedupon the sleeve 61, as indicated at 68. In

this manner the entire cleaner may be removed as a unit, as by slidingthe sleeve 61 from the shaft 60, or any individual rag wheel may beremoved and repaired or replaced as desired. The tightness ofdisposition, moreover, of the rag wheels readily adjustable as by thenut 67.

Although the cleaner 41 is not shown in detail, it is nevertheless to beunderstood that the construction thereof is substantially identical withthat of the cleaner 34L immediately above set forth.

The elements upon the opposite side of the machine are substantiallyidentical with those above described, and it may here be noted that thetwo can paths are substan-' tially parallel and the propelling beltsthereof travel in such direction as to move the cans which they engagein opposite directions throughout the machine. In this manner, as thecans travel through one of these paths, one end seam thereof isthoroughly cleansed, and the same is merely reversed, as by suitablyinclined chutes, and led to the other path, whereby the remaining endseam is cleansed and the finished can returned to a position adjacentthat from which it was first delivered into the machine. In this mannera high rate of working as well as efficient action are readily attained.

The operation of the above-described embodiment of my invention, in sofar as the same has not been already set forth, is substantially asfollows: The several driving shafts being actuated from any desiredsources of power and the can bodies being maintained at the propertemperature in any desired manner, the same are fed into the path at oneside of the machine and readily pass beneath the weighted guide 9, as byreason of the rounded end 69 thereof, and are immediately given awhirling as well as forward movement by the several propelling belts.The can cleaners then act upon both the bottom and side of the end seamof the can and quickly remove all surplus solder therefrom. The cans arethen fed to the opposite path in an inverted position and the remainingend seam is similarly treated.

The cleaners are quickly adjustable, as for taking up wear or exertinggreater pressure upon the seam, and the belts 19 and 20 are not onlyautomatic-ally maintained taut, but may be readily adjusted toaccommodate cans of varying diameters, or removed as for cleaning orrepair; The belts, moreover, are firmly and uniformly held against thecan bodies as by the pressure shoes above set forth, and the intensityoftheir engagement with the can bodies is readily adjusted to the pointinsuring the most efiicient action.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a machine in which the severalobjects of my invention are attained, and that the hereinbeforeenumerated advantages are, among others, present. The entireconstruction is simple and inexpensive and the action automatic, thusdoing away with the need of labor or supervision and permitting a highspeed of working.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It isalso to be understood that the language used in the following claims isintended to cover all of the generic and specific features of theinvention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which,-as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

Having described my invention, what claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In apparatus of the class described, incombination, a supporting member, means adapted to adjust the height ofsaid supporting member, a swinging guide adapted to rest upon and exerta resilient pressure upon the opposite end of a cam positioned upon saidsupport, a pair of belts engaging the opposite sides of a can upon said.support, means adapted to drive said belts in opposite directions and atdifferent speeds, and means adapted to clean a seam of'a can upon saidbelts.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of beltsadapted to engage one side of a can adjacent the ends thereof, a beltadapted to engage the other side of a can intermediate the ends thereof,means adapted to drive said belts in opposite directions and atdifferent speeds, can cleaning means adapted to coact with a seam of acan upon the side of said second belt, and means adapted to adjust theposition of said can cleaning means.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of beltsadapted to engage opposite sides of a can and impart rotary movementthereto, means adapted to drive said belts in opposite directions and atdifferent speeds, means adapted to adjust one of said belts toward oraway from the other thereof to accommodate cans of vary ing diameters,can cleaning means adapted to coact with a can between said belts, andmeans adapted to adjust the position of said can cleaning means to coactwith cans of varying diameters.

4. In, apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of beltsadapted to engage opposite sides of a can and impart rotary movementthereto, means adapted to drive said belts in opposite directions and atdifferent speeds, means adapted to adjust one of said belts toward oraway from the other thereof to accommodate cans ofvarying diameters, cancleaning means adapted to coact with a can between said belts, and meansadapted to adjust the position of said can cleaning means to coact withcans of varying diameters, said can cleaning means comprising a rotarymember adapted to engage the side of the can.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of beltsadapted to engage one side of a can adjacent the ends thereof, a beltadapted to engage the oppo site side of the can intermediate the endsthereof, means adapted to drive said second belt and said pair of beltsat different rates and in opposite directions, adjusting means adaptedto vary the distance between said second belt and said pair of belts toaccommodate cans of varying diameters and retary can cleaning meansadapted to engage a can positioned between said belts on the side ofsaid second belt and clean a seam thereof.

6. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a can supportingmember, a guide adapted to exert a resilient pressure upon the oppositeside of a can upon said member, and means adapted to propel a canpositioned between said support and said guide.

7. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a can supportingmember, a guide adapted to exert a resilient pressure upon the oppositeside of a can upon said member, means adapted to propel a can positionedbetween said support and said guide, and means adapted to clean the endseam of a can upon said support.

8. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a can supportingmember, a guide adapted to exert a resillent pressure upon the oppositeportion of a can, a pair of can propelling members adapted to engageopposite sides of a can between said support and said guide, and meansadapted to clean the end seam of a can positioned between said members.

9. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a can supportingmember, a guide adapted to exert a resilient pressure upon the oppositeportion of a can, a pair of can propelli-n members adapted to engageopposite si es of a can between said support and said guide, meansadapted to clean the end seamof a can positioned be tween said members,and means adapted to drive the active portions of said members atdifferent rates of speed.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a supportingmember, a swinging guide adapted to rest upon and exert a resilientpressure upon the opposite end of a can positioned upon said support, apair of'belts engaging opposite sides of a can upon said support, meansadapted to drive said belts to propel said can along said support, andmeans adapted to clean the end seam of a can between said belts.

11. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of beltsadapted to engage one side of a can adjacent the ends thereof, a beltadapted to en age the opp0- site side of a can interme iate the endsthereof, means adapted to drive said belts to propel a can positionedtherebetween, andean cleaning means adapted to co-act with the end seamof a can upon the side of said second belt.

12. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a frame, a pairof can supporting members mounted thereon in substantially parallelrelation, a plurality of pairs of belts adapted respectively to engageopposite sides of cans upon each of said supporting members, meansadapted to drive said pairs of belts to propel cans in opp0- sitedirections along said supporting members and impart a rotary movementthereto, means adapted to clean the end seam of a can upon either ofsaid supporting members, and means adapted to exert a resilient pressure upon the upper ends of cans positioned upon said supportingmembers.

13. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a frame, a pairof can supporting members mounted thereon in substantially parallelrelation, a plurality of pairs of belts adapted respectively to engageopposite sides of cans upon each of said supporting members, meansadapted to drive said pairs of belts to propel cans in oppositedirections along said supporting members and impart a rotary movementthereto, a plurality of pairs of cleaners adapted simultaneously toclean the sides and ends of cans upon said supporting members, and meansadapted to engage the upper ends of cans upon said supporting membersand exert a resilient pressure thereon.

14. In can machinery, in combination, supporting means, a pair of beltsmounted adj acent said supporting means adapted to engage opposite sidesof a can thereon and having their engaging surfaces lying in planessubstantially perpendicular to the plane of said supporting means, andspringpressed means adapted to engage one of said belts and press thesame toward the can.

15. In can machinery, in combination, supporting means, a pair of beltsmounted adjacent said supporting means adapted to engage opposite sidesof a can thereon and having their engaging surfaces lying in planessubstantially perpendicular to the plane of said supporting means, and aspring-pressed shoe adapted to engage the inner surface of one of saidbelt-s and press the same toward the can.

16. In can machinery, in combination, a pair of pulleys, a belt mountedupon said pulleys and adapted to frictionally engage and propel a can,and automatically operating means tending to separate said pulleyswhereby the tension of said belt will be maintained constant.

17 In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a can supportingmember, a pair of can propelling members adapted to engage oppositesides of a can upon said support, means adapted to drive said members inopposite directions and at difierent speeds, means adjacent one of saidmembers for cleaning the side of a can, and means adjacent the other ofsaid members for cleaning the end of said can.

18. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a cansupporting member, a pair of can propelling members adapted to engageopposite sides of a can upon said support, means adapted to drive saidmembers in opposite directions and at different speeds, means adjacentone of said members for cleaning the side of a can, and means adjacentthe other of said members for cleaning the end of said can, said twolast named means being simultaneously operative.

19. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a cansupporting member, a pair of can propelling members adapted to engageopposite sides of a can upon said support, means adapted to drive saidmembers in opposite directions and at different speeds, means adjacentone of said members for cleaning the side of a can, and means adjacentthe other of said members for cleaning the end of said can, said twolast named means being adjustable toward and from the can.

20. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a cansupporting member, a pair of can propelling members adapted tofrictionally engage opposite sides of a can upon said support With.their engaging faces in vertical planes, means adapted to drive saidmembers in. opposite directions and at different speeds, a rotarycleaner adjacent one of said members for cleaning the side of a can, anda rotary cleaner ad jacent' the other of said members for cleaning theend of said can.

21. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a cansupporting member, a

7 pair of can propelling members adapted to frictionally engage oppositesides of a can upon said support with their engaging faces in vertical.planes, means adapted to drive said members in opposite directions andat different speeds, a rotary cleaner adjacent one of said members forcleaning the side of a can, and a rotary cleaner adjacent the other ofsaid members for cleaning the end of said can, said two cleaners beingsimultaneously operative.

22. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a cansupporting member, a pair of can propelling members adapted tofrictionally engage opposite sides of a can upon said support with theirengaging faces in vertical planes, means adapted to drive said membersin opposite directions and at different speeds, a rotary cleaneradjacent one of said members for cleaning the side of a can, and arotary cleaner adjacent the other of said members for cleaning the endof'said can, said two cleaners being adjustable toward and from the can.

23. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a cansupporting member, a pressure member adapted to engage part of a canopposite that engaged by the support ing member, a pair of canpropelling members adapted to engage opposite sides of a can upon saidsupport, means adapted to drive said members in opposite directions andat different s eeds, means adjacent one of said members 'or cleaning theside of a can, and means adjacent the other of said members for cleaningthe end of said can.

24. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a cansupporting member, a pressure member adapted to engage part of a canopposite that engaged by the supporting member, a pair of can propellingmem bers adapted to frictionally engage opposite sides of a can uponsaid support With their engaging faces in vertical planes, means adaptedto drive said members in opposite directions and at different speeds, arotary cleaner adjacent one of said members for cleaning the side of acan, and a rotary.

cleaner adjacent the other of said members for cleaning the end of saidcan.

25. In apparatus of the class described,-

in combination, a can supporting member, a pressure member adapted toengage part of a can opposite that engaged by the sup porting member,can propelling members adapted to engage opposite sides of a can uponsaid support, means adjacent one of said members for cleaning the sideof a can, and means adjacent the other of said members for cleaning theend of said can.

26. In apparatus of the class described,

in combination, a can supporting member, a pivoted pressure memberadapted to engage part of a can opposite that engaged by the supportingmember, can propelling members adapted to engage opposite sides of a canupon said support, means adjacent one of said members for cleaning theside of a can, and means adjacent the other of said, members forcleaning the end of said can.

27. In a can machinery, in combination, a pair of pulleys, a belt uponsaid pulleys and adapted to frictionally engage and propel a can,automatically operating means tending to separate said pulleys wherebythe tension of said belt may be maintained, and resilient means adaptedto press said belt toward the can.

28. In a can machinery, in combination, a pair of pulleys, a verticallydisposed belt upon said pulleys and adapted to frictionally engage andpropel a can, automatically operating means tending to separate saidpulleys, whereby the tension of said belt may be maintained, adjustableresilient means adapted to press said belt toward the can, and cleaningmeans adjustable toward and from the can.

29. In apparatus of the kind described, in combination, a member forunyieldingly engaging an end of a can, a member yieldingly enga ing theother end of the can, means yiel ingly engaging the sides of the can topropel the same between said firstnamed members, and a can cleaningmeans.

30. In apparatus of the kind described,

in combination, an adjustable member for unyieldingly engaging an end ofa can, a member yieldingly engagin the other end of the can, meansyielding y engaging the sides of the can to propel the same between saidfirst-named members, and a can cleaning means.

81. In apparatus of the kind described, in combination, a member forunyieldingly engaging an end of a can, a member yieldingly engaging theother end of the can,

bodily adjustable means yieldingly engag" ing the side of the can topropel the same between said first-named members, and a can cleaningmeans.

32. In apparatus of the kind described, in. combination, an adjustablemember for unyieldingly engaging an end of a can, a member yieldinglyengaging the other. end

of the can, bodily adjustable means yieldingly engaging the sides of thecan to pr0- pel the same between. said first-named members, and aoaneleaning means.

33. In apparatus of the kind described,

in combination, an adjustable member for unyieldingly engaging an end ofa can, a member yieldingly engaging the other end of the can, bodilyadjustable means yieldingly engaging the sides of the can to propel thesame between said first-named members, and a bodily adjustable cleaningmeans. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of twoWitnesses.

CHARLES W. GRAHAM. Witnesses:

WAL'IER C. HARmNoToN, LEON I). TITUS.

